“Bottle Gourd- Onion-Garlic Soup” ... sipping on a bowl of steaming hot soup is always more than welcome during monsoon or winter season … there are millions of options when it comes to soups though tomato soup is the king of all times … with rising price of tomatoes it is but wise to try out new options that are not only healthier but also pocket friendly … prepare this one a little bit more spicier and with lots of garlic to bring out best of taste … Yummilicious …
** What can I say about soups that I have already not done so?? Nothing comes to my mind to pen something new except to endorse my joy in trying out new recipes and sipping them steaming hot when it's raining or cold outside. The joy of a good cozy sleep after warming up with soup is something I am sure you all know.
** I have already shared a few soups before while there many still lying in my draft yet to be edited. Do excuse these delays in sharing, though I make a promise to myself to be more prompt somehow I am unable to do so with so many problems and issues engulfing me. So without running into my stories let me write the recipe.
** Oh, yes, before I forget I must mention here that for this soup I would give A++ health-wise, while taste-wise it would only be, lets say B++. That is so because bottle gourd/ gardudde/ lauki/ sorekayi is bland on its own in taste and unless you spice it up well with extra spice and flavor it again with extra garlic it will stay a little bit bland.
** Bottle gourd according to Ayurveda is recommended for treatment of jaundice, diabetes, skin diseases, regulating blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney disorders etc. Being low in calories it is very beneficial for weight loss. So prepare dishes of your choice and enjoy them as and when possible as they are available all round the year.
** These days everybody talks about healthy food that one should make a habit of and in that this soup will definitely list on the top. To all out there I suggest that at times we need to balance out eating habits and enjoy them all for a good healthy lifestyle. So don’t think twice, just go ahead and try it and enjoy it with family.
** Here is my simple recipe for “Bottle Gourd- Onion-Garlic Soup” … my style ….
** For this recipe I have used tender bottle gourd (lauki/ gardudde/ sorekayi) in all say about 3-4 cups which gave me about 3 bowl of thick soup. You may use as is necessary or for required number of servings accordingly.
** Heat 1-2 tblsp ghee/ toop in pressure cooker pan, when hot lower the heat to minimum and add 5 to 6 peeled and finely chopped garlic (losun/ lehsun). Fry for a minute or two until the color changes slightly then add 1 heaped tsp of black pepper corns (kali miri/ mire) and fry for a second or two, do not burn any ingredients.
** Add in 2 medium sized peeled and finely chopped onions (piyavu/ kanda) and further fry for 3 to 4 minutes until it turns translucent, finally add 3 to 4 cups of peeled and chopped to small pieces bottle gourd (gardudde/ lauki/ sorekayi) and mix well. Continue frying all together for another minute or two one medium heat.
** Lastly add one cup of water and pressure cook on medium heat to 1-2 whistles. Remove and keep it aside to allow pressure to fall on its self. Open the lid and let cool a little bit, then with the help of a hand blender or in mixer grinder blend all together to a smooth consistency adding more water only if required.
** Note : I found that all the ingredients had been ground to very well to a smooth texture, so I did not sieve it and just went ahead with preparing the soup. In case you want to you can sieve through a slightly large holed sieve.
** Bring the soup to a boiling point stirring in between a few times. Add black salt (kala namak/ meeta) to taste, check the consistency of the soup and add more water if necessary only. Add 1 tsp of red chilly flakes (Optional, I have added) and more black pepper powder if required, mix well, once again bring to a full boil and its done.
** Note : I have used black salt (kala namak/ meeta) which I often use for salads and soups as it considered much healthier than normal table salt. However, you may use any salt that is available or your desire to use for the soup.
** “Bottle Gourd- Onion-Garlic Soup” is done and ready to be served. Always serve soups steaming hot immediately with some bread sticks/ croutons/ crème crackers/ toast or any other accompaniment of your choice for dinner or any other suitable time. In my home we always prefer to have soups as our meal for dinner during monsoon and winter season, trust me it warms up the body and induces a good sleep.
** Sharing a common link to all “Soup” recipes shared in the Blog, you may browse through in leisure and try them out as is convenient to you ….
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Thanks.